Perhaps best known as Count Fuckula in Ricky Gervais's Extras series, James is also a stand-up comedian and the son of a publican. Over the last three years he has been touring all over the world with his show, James Dowdeswell's Perfect Pub, and has recently published a book based on his love of pubs, described as an "ode to pubs and a call to arms to try and save them."